Figure 2.

Models that explain the intracellular delivery of drugs mediated by polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers.

Dendrimers could be internalized into the cytoplasm by non specific endocytosis. As an alternative, dendrimers could be functionalized to allow the specific interaction with transmembrane proteins inducing their endocytosis. The intracellular delivery of drugs could be mediated by diffusion from the internal spaces of the dendrimers, or by their disorganization in the intracellular vesicles.